Just as this thread goes to sleep for a while, I wanted to thank you all for the chat over the last few months. It didn't work out as I wanted in the end but I think I know what I need to improve. Your posts helped motivate me and keep me going. Might see you in Amsterdam if I decide to do that. If not, I'll be here and there. Cheers!

Don't think of it as too hot to run in now brimps, think of it as acclimatisation!

Got out for a four miler yesterday and ran six this morning. I knew I wouldn't last all week! Very warm though, it's a bit of a shock to the system when there's no showers to run through or water stations at every mile.

TT the 'other' 3:30 thread (Minni vs Dubai Dave) is still very busy with running banter, maybe worth popping over. I think it's just going to keep on going so good for if you're targetting 3:30 at Amsterdam. I'm a bit jealous you're planning that as your Autumn marathon, I had a blast last year and will likely do it again once I've ticked off all the others I want to do!

Thanks Carrot. I'll pop over to that thread to have a look, but I've been doing some reflecting.

I've come to the conclusion that, for now, I'm going to put marathons on the back burner. I'm much more upbeat about things. Trying to look at the positive, VLM showed me just what progress I had made in 13.1 (during training I shaved 4 minutes off). Half's are the races I enjoy the most, so I'm going to put all my efforts into this distance rather than the 26.2. For the next year or too anyway. I think that'll make me a much better runner in the long term. My goal now is a sub 1.30 in November 2011. Lots of work to do. Can't wait!

I'm with you Tom, I'm not convinced the marathon is my distance and so I'm going to concentrate on shorter distances for now and don't intend to even think about running another marathon for a few years (if not ever!). But thanks everyone for all your great advice and motivation during my training!

In fact, until tonight, I wasn't really sure if I was going to carry on running at all but then I went out for my second run since the marathon and decided to just run hard - ended up doing 10k in 42:46 so the marathon has obviously done my fitness good! Just had to tell somebody even if there's no one checking this forum anymore as I was really pleased with that! haha

Bloody hell Daren, that is fast! Get a few shorter races entered, you've been storming round your speedwork. I think you'd be pleasantly suprised by how well you do... and leave most of us lot for dust!

You have to remember though that when I was younger my best distance was 100m so the further I go the slower I get! You guys are way ahead of me on converting that speed to the longer distances.

Yeah Carrot, will definitely be trying some shorter stuff this summer (might even go to the track and try a few sprints just for old times' sake - although I'm sure I'd be depressed by how much slower I am now than when I was a teenager!).

42.51 is my pb for the 10k.I'm hoping for better in the next few weeks.Well done Daren.Why on earth would you consider packing it in.I do believe that a marathon is totally different to a shorter race.A bit more practice will make you do a better time but it's obvious that you've got the foundations there already.

Cheers Howey, I suppose I was considering packing it in because I only took up running when I applied for London so I was always specifically training with that in mind and never initially planned it as anything more than that - until I got the running bug! Also, I think because having basically dedicated a year of my life to it and then finishing way down on what my training suggested I should on the day, I was wondering whether distance running was really the sport for me. But that 10k has convinced me that there's plenty of improvement ahead if I keep it up - and I'll only consider another marathon if and when I've got a good few years running shorter distances under my belt. I definitely think I need more race practice though - probably my worst two runs of the year have been the two official races I've entered! Next target: a PB at Saturday's Parkrun!

Daren, I think the marathon takes a while before you get it right - it's just that extra distance that you don't run in training when your body is so drained.

Good 10k there - very quick indeed. Just shows all that marathon training can translate into quick times for shorter distances too.

I'm taking a short break from running - I managed to tweak my knee last weekend while out for a short run, and it is still a bit sore. Keeping to cycling and cross training for a couple of weeks. Probably ditch my next race which was a 10 miler in mid-May. Next after that would be a HM in August. Still mulling over the idea of another marathon later in the year - maybe Luton (very glam!). Before that I'm going to try and get to the Parkrun more often and get my 5k PB down below 21 minutes. I'm completely the opposite to Daren - absolutely no basic speed but lots of endurance!

There's quite a few of us concentrating on shorter distances over the summer, over on t'other thread, and tons of great advice going around. My marathon pb is now 3.28 but my 10k pb is an embarrassing 46.xx!

The thread was full on before the marathon but it's taken on a whole new dimension now and looks like it will continue until everyone has nailed it! The focus for most is still sub 3.30 but now with the mania of Spring training out the way everyone is looking at training for other distances over the summer before focusing on either an autumn or next spring marathon.

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